


The LadyNoir ball: VIP Edition

by Conii, Miss_shrimpy



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: 100 times cuter in this story, A fanfic with some beautiful illustrations!, Alya is us, Chat Noir looks great, Collab with Miss_shrimpy!, Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, I promise, LadyNoir - Freeform, LadyNoir shippers, Ladybug - Freeform, Ladybug and Chat Noir being awesome, Ladynoir fluff, Oops, Poor Alya I almost killed her, Romance, The day everybody loved Mr. Bourgeois, The entire city ships LadyNoir, also Gabriel is here, alya pov, and Jagged Stone, and Ladybug is the queen of everything, and beautiful, because why not, chat noir - Freeform, happy Alya, i mean who doesn't, incredibly happy Alya, ladyblog, ladybug x chat noir - Freeform, like ten times, no reveal, they are too cute, you'll die in a pleasant way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 02:03:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15985256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Conii/pseuds/Conii, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_shrimpy/pseuds/Miss_shrimpy
Summary: "Hello, Ladybloggers, and welcome to the vlog we've been all waiting for! Because it's today! The day is finally here! My dress is ready, my camera is ready, and I hope you're ready too because you're coming with me to witness the most special night of the year! What is going to happen? What will we see? Prepare your nerves, take a few breaths and stay tuned to the Ladyblog for all the details! Oh my Gosh, the car is here! I gotta leave, but I'll be back as soon as I make it to the City Hall. Alya out!"





	The LadyNoir ball: VIP Edition

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be short... oops.
> 
> I wrote, [Miss_shrimpy](https://misshrimpy.tumblr.com/) drew, and you'll enjoy 19k words of fluffiness.

"So?", Nino said, looking at his girlfriend's shocked face with sympathy. "How was it?"

Alya was frozen, her joy so strong that she could practically hear the frantic beating of her heart, her hands shaking so much that she could hardly hold her phone between her fingers.

"That...", she whispered. "That was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen".

 

•••

 

It had all started two months before, when André Bourgeois had been turned into an akuma and decided to organize a ball to thank Ladybug and Chat Noir for saving him and Paris. Apparently the man never thought that he would ever be an akuma. "Hawk Moth doesn't even respect the Mayor of the city!", he had said in the press conference some hours after the attack. Alya could only roll her eyes at his words. Of course he would think he was so important that Hawk Moth would avoid him and  _respect_  him, above all things. He didn't respect anyone, and the Mayor should know that by now.

But then came the announcement that made Alya forget her irritation and scream in delight. The ball would be in the City Hall on July 15th, the night following Bastille Day, and the most important people of Paris were invited. Ladybug and Chat Noir were asked for weeks if they would attend. It was a ball in their honor, after all, but the heroes decided to be as discreet as possible about their plans. That, however, until Alya cornered them after an akuma attack.

"Wait!", she said when the heroes were about to leave, her cellphone in her hands while breathing heavily. She had run five corners and her forehead was covered in sweat. "Please, quick question for the Ladyblog. Are you attending to the ball?"

If it was because of her poor state, or whether Ladybug and Chat Noir had finally decided to drop the truth and were waiting for the perfect chance to do it, she didn't know, but the heroes looked at each other, smiled, and Ladybug answered:

"Of course we are attending. We wouldn't miss it for anything!"

 _YES YES YES YES!,_ she screamed internally.

"Why did it took you so long to confirm your presence?"

The next question took them by surprise, but Chat Noir was fast to recover. He put an arm around Ladybug's neck and smiled to the camera.

"You see... Before confirming we had to find somebody to make us some fancy outfits for the event. You don't want us to go like this, do you?", he said, pointing to his suit. "I know we already look amazing but these are not the most appropriate looks for a ball".

"What he means...", Ladybug said, "is that we had to get some things done before confirming. We are superheroes, after all. We are not used to this kind of attention and we want every detail to be covered".

"Are you saying that there is someone, a person, that is preparing your outfits?", Alya asked excitedly. "Are they a famous designer? Are they French? Oh! Is it Gabriel Agr...?"

"Calm down, my friend. Superheroes never tell their secrets!", Chat Noir winked.

Hours later and thanks to a new post on the Ladyblog, everybody knew Ladybug and Chat Noir would actually attend to the ball and the fans were shaking from excitement. Sadly, only the people that had received an invitation could attend and Alya was not part of that group, but if anyone thought something as vague as a lack of invitation would prevent her from attending, they certainly didn't know Alya Césaire.

"You want me to WHAT?!", Chloe yelled, making every single student in the corridor look at them with curiosity.

"You heard it", Alya said much quietly, her arms crossed above her chest. "It's a deal: you give me your invitation to the Mayor's ball and in exchange I make your literature homework for the rest of the school year".

It had been hard to decide that  _that_  was the best option she had. It took days of preparation and a million pep talks to herself to finally get the courage to talk to Chloe about her deal. The idea of making her homework wasn't of her liking at all—actually, her blood started to boil for the mere fact that this was the only way she could get a favor from Chloe because there was no way she would do something nice for free—but then the prospect of attending to the ball and watching Ladybug and Chat Noir looking beautiful together hit her, and gave her the determination she needed to be patient and try to talk with her annoying classmate.

"Excuse me?", Chloe yelled again, and Alya had to resist the temptation of covering her ears. "I am the Mayor's daughter! Do you think  _I_  need a ridiculous invitation to attend to the ball? HA! Besides, I am Ladybug's best friend in the entire world and she would miss me so so much if I wasn't there with her!"

Alya gritted her teeth. Chloe's comment about Ladybug didn't bother her as much as the fact that it was so obvious that Chloe wouldn't need an invitation to attend. How is that she didn't think about that?

"Okay, okay, I get it", she said, trying to ignore how stupid she felt in that moment. "Let me change the deal: You ask your father for an invitation for me and in exchange I make your literature  _and_  history homework for the rest of the school year. What do you think?"

Surprisingly, it seemed like Chloe actually considered agreeing to the deal, at least for a second before she flicked her tongue and answered while playing with the tip of her ponytail.

"Ugh, do you really think that Daddy would want someone like  _you_  in his party? Just look at you!", she said, pointing to her clothes. "The ball is for important people like  _moi._ You stay in the streets where you belong!". Laughing, she left, leaving Alya boiling with rage and trying so hard not to  _jump over her and squeeze her neck with her bare hands..._

"Chloe!", someone said, the anger evident in their voice, but Chloe was already too far to hear. "Alya? Are you okay?", Alya turned around to find Adrien's worried expression, one of his hands touching her shoulder comfortingly.

"Yeah, I'm fine", she sighed.

"Good. Please don't listen to her, okay? You know how she is". Then, he smirked. "I must say that was brave, though. I mean... asking Chloe for an invitation to the ball? You might be desperate".

Alya gave him a flat look, pushing his hand away from her shoulder. "Are you making fun of me?". She tried to sound angry, but deep down she knew she couldn't, not when it made her happy to see that Adrien was not the same shy boy that always tried to be perfect. He still had some problems interacting with people, but when it came to Nino, Alya and Marinette, he had finally started acting more like himself. He  _smirked_  at her! Golden boy, prince charming Adrien Agreste had smirked! She resisted the urge of wiping away a fake tear of pride.

"No, um...", he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "This is actually my way of telling you I'll give you my invitation to the ball".

Alya's jaw almost hit the floor at his words, her eyes opened so much that her eyebrows disappeared under her brown hair.

"Wait, WHAT?"

"Both my father and I were invited but I am not attending, I have a photoshoot the morning after and I want to be well rested for it. I already told him. The invitation has my name on it but I'll ask Nathalie to call so they'll let you use it. That will take a few days so I hopeyou won't car..."

"OF COURSE I WON'T CARE, OH MY GOD, ADRIEN!", and then she was all over him, her arms squeezing his shoulders and jumping from joy. Laughing, Adrien hugged her back and patted her head affectionately. "I didn't know you were invited too! Why you didn't tell me? Oh God, thank you, thank you, thank you so much!"

"I knew I wouldn't attend, so what was the point in telling you? And don't thank me, it's the least I could do for Ladybug's number one fan". He took a step back and grabbed her by the arms. "Besides, you want this way more than me".

"God, if I didn't have a boyfriend and if I didn't  _ship_  you with Marinette, I would kiss you right now".

Adrien laughed again, but soon his laugh faded, confusion taking over his handsome features.

"Wait, what does 'ship' mean?"

Alya's happiness was contagious and soon her mother was burying her face in a pile of boxes, looking for the dress she had worn for her graduation years ago. Alya didn't like the idea of wearing a dress that old (she wasn't picky but she wanted to look good. Ladybug and Chat Noir would be there!), but all her doubts disappeared when she got to see it: It was strapless, its length to the knee, and purple. The design was simple, though the way the fabric fell from her waist in different tones made it absolutely gorgeous.

Alya tried the dress on and couldn't help but smile at her reflection. She did look good. It was tempting to send a pic to Nino to ask his opinion, but since he was going to visit her before the ball, she preferred to see his reaction in person. Besides there were little details of the dress that had to be fixed, her mother was already pointing the areas that were loose or too tight. But those were never a problem when you had an aspiring fashion designer as best friend.

The dress was beautiful, but Marinette made it perfect. Honestly Alya wouldn't have trusted anyone else: the girl had the hands of an angel, no matter how clumsy she usually was in her daily life. The loose areas of the dress were gone, so were the tight ones. Three hours before the ball, Alya had the invitation, the dress, the make-up, the shoes, her phone completely charged, and a very impressed boyfriend whose jaw almost hit the floor at the sight of her.

"Umm... I... umm...", was all Nino could say, and honestly Alya didn't need anything else. She looked pretty, she felt pretty. She was also awfully nervous and anxious, but in less than one hour she'd be in front of her idols and she couldn't be more ready.

 

•••

 

The City Hall was huge, that was the first thing Alya thought everytime she crossed the wooden doors. The sound of the crowd that had reunited outside—conformed mostly by journalists and fans—echoed through the tall walls, which were all decorated by blue, red and white garlands along with French flags for Bastille Day. The stairs to the second floor where blocked by a red rope to keep the intruders at bay, and the way to the event hall was signaled by a fancy carpet and protected by security guards whose eyes were glued to the wall in front of them.

Alya had promised her followers a video with all the details of the ball and she didn't have any intention to fail. She started recording as soon as she arrived, a battery back-up inside her shiny little purse just in case the worst happened. She didn't care about etiquette at this moment, so she felt free to talk to her cellphone while following the carpet.

When she found the event hall, she gasped. The room was giant and beautiful, fully decorated one more time by garlands, but these were red, black and green. Ladybug and Chat Noir's colors, she realized, showing them to the camera. The creamy-white walls held big golden-like curtains that touched the floor and covered the windows, the place being illuminated by silver chandeliers that hung from the roof and supported the tiniest bulbs. There was no carpet, the wooden floor shone under Alya's black heels enough that she could see her reflection on it.

The tables were ready to please the guests. They were long and rectangular, covered by a white tablecloth which got lost under dozens and dozens of silver plates full of different kinds of food. Soon Alya realized that each table had its own purpose: one of them contained the drinks, an impressive pyramid made of glasses and bottles of wine; another one had baked-goods and desserts such as cakes, mini croissants and macarons, and Alya wondered if those were from Tom and Sabine's bakery.

There were at least eight tables, organized at each side of the room and leaving an empty space in between that led to the front, where two giant staircases connected to form a single terrace. The ball would officially begin in fifteen minutes and Alya spent that time recording for the Ladyblog, showing the food and the dresses that impressed her the most. She was glad she had dressed for the occasion and didn't feel out of place, but she wished Marinette was there with her. All those fabrics and colors would have made her lose her mind.

Soon, Alya's foot was shaking against the floor, her nerves returning because the ball would begin in four minutes and Ladybug and Chat Noir were probably already there, waiting to show up. She was not a patient girl and that was what would make her a good journalist: instead of waiting, she exited the event hall and walked through the corridor to the left, avoiding the security guards and arriving to the door which, she knew, led to another hall, the place where Chloe had made a party some months before. Quickly she went inside and, since nobody was watching, ran. Alya got upstairs as fast as she could, breathing heavily when she got to the terrace and to the doors that led to a meeting room, which connected the terraces of both halls.

Silently praying that luck was by her side, she carefully pushed one of the doors, almost screaming in delight when it actually opened. Her cellphone was recording again, but it almost fell from her hand when she heard a familiar voice coming from the room.

"I am so sorry for being late, mister Bourgeois. I had a last-minute problem with my dress".

"Don't worry, Ladybug, you're just in time!"

As carefully as she could, Alya tried to peep through the thin space between the doors, the camera of her cellphone following her movements. Suddenly she caught a glimpse of red and moved her head to the right to get a better view.

And then she saw them. There was Ladybug, dressed in an beautiful spotted dress that hugged stylishly her curves, her yo-yo surrounding her waist like a bow. The fabric around her neck was a black transparency, exposing partially her creamy skin. Her chest and torso were covered by black, which gradually turned to red, the bottom part of the dress hanging wonderfully around her knees. In front of her, Chat Noir looked absolutely handsome in his black suit. His jacket and pants fit perfectly his body, the vest over his white shirt as green as his eyes, the same color his sleeves and pockets were. His bell stayed the same except for the cute black bow under it, which gave him a playful and yet elegant look.

They were looking at each other. Alya could swear they were looking at each other as if they had been separated for years. Chat Noir's face shone as if he had a mountain of diamonds in front of him, his eyes bigger and greener, his mouth opening and closing but incapable of producing any sound. It was like his brain completely  _broke_  at the sight of his partner. Alya melted at the thought.

"It's time for the show!", the Mayor said happily, ignoring the hero's stupor. "I'll go first to welcome the guests and you cross the door when your names are announced, got it? Great!". He patted their shoulders when Ladybug nodded, too distracted with Chat Noir's reaction to reply properly. Not that Bourgeois minded, since he left the place to greet his guests with a huge smile on his face. The door closed behind him and Alya could hear the cheers of the crowd at his appearance.

The couple was finally alone, this was what Alya had been expecting the most. Chat Noir, still in his astonishment, tried to talk, his mouth moved but no word came out. And then Ladybug giggled, one of her hands covering her lips sweetly, the other one behind her back. From her position she couldn't be sure but Alya thought there was a slight blush covering her cheeks.

"Cat got your tongue?", Ladybug said, her comment taking Chat Noir out of his stupor. He blinked, processed the words and smiled. Alya was expecting the pick-up line she was sure was about to come, but it didn't. His smile turned warmer instead, and looked at Ladybug with so much love and adoration that Alya thought she was going to faint.

"You look good".

Ladybug hummed. "You're not bad yourself".

It was a miracle Alya hadn't exploded yet because they were  _so_  cute and  _why_  they were not kissing already. She made sure her phone was recording everything, Bourgeois' speech echoing through the walls along with the applause of the crowd.

"We should get ready", Ladybug said, her eyes never leaving her partner's.

"Um, yeah", he replied, extending a hand for her to grab. But Ladybug took a step forward and grabbed his arm instead, intertwining it with hers. If Alya didn't control the urge to jump from joy she would be in serious trouble for spying, so she made the impossible to swallow her excitement.

The heroes stood in front of the door that led to the terrace, unfortunately in a place that Alya couldn't see clearly from her spot. The Mayor was about to announce them, so she, as discreet as possible, ran downstairs and through the corridor to the event hall, ignoring the cold glances of the security guards. There was no way she was going to miss their entrance.

"...from day one", the Mayor was saying, standing in the terrace holding a microphone in his hand. The guests stood listening to the speech with attention, casually clapping when he said something particularly good. Alya walked through the crowd to get closer, her camera ready to start recording again.

"...and this is why it makes me extremely happy to introduce our guests of honor. Ladies and gentlemen, our heroes and guardian angels of Paris, Ladybug and Chat Noir!".

The doors behind the Mayor opened, a general gasp was heard, and then the room was filled with applause and cheers. Alya had arrived just in time: there were Ladybug and Chat Noir standing in all their glory and majesty, waving at the crowd with huge smiles on their faces, their outfits shining under the white reflector that followed their steps while reaching the railing of the terrace. Even Bourgeois was clapping, only stopping to tell the heroes to follow him.

The three of them started to descend the stairs, Ladybug and Chat Noir some steps behind Bourgeois. When the crowd got to see their dresses from head to toe, the applause got louder. Ladybug and Chat Noir looked radiant, more beautiful than anything Alya had seen before. They were shining, like light in a world full of darkness. There was something glowing around them, a sense of power that asked for respect and praise. They, the superheroes of Paris, looked as sure as they did in the battlefield, always in their roles of magical boy and magical girl who complemented each other so well that together became an ethereal entity, a king and a queen whose arms were firmly intertwined, their legs moving harmonically while walking downstairs, their moves simple and yet spectacular. Every step they took felt like a bomb of energy, the purest magic sinking into the souls of the witnesses, the heroes' presence taking their breaths away. Time had seemed to stop, nobody could move while they were moving, nobody could take their eyes off them, nothing else existed but them and their heavenly beauty. Alya's whole body was trembling with excitement and she prayed that her video was not blurred, but no camera could capture the aura that filled the room at the appearance of the protectors of the city. 

 

"Lord help me. Guys. I'm dying over here" she said, incapable of controlling her shaky voice. Her eyes were turning glassy and her fingers were trembling. "Ladybug looks like a goddess, she is a freaking goddess. And Chat Noir, oh my God, most handsome boy in Paris. I'm sorry, Nino, but oh my God. They are beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I'm gonna faint, I swear I'm gonna faint. Oh my God".

Ladybug and Chat Noir finally reached the floor, Bourgeois by their side with a proud smile, as if he was responsible for the magic that had hypnotized the entire hall. He held the microphone close to his mouth and screamed, the spell coming to an end: "Let the party begin!".

From a door at the right side of the hall, dozens of waiters came out with trays to offer glasses of champagne and juice while a melodic music started to play. Alya didn't waste a second and started to approach the heroes, who were still by the stairs and already drinking a glass of juice that an excited waiter had given them.

"I'm gonna try to get closer but they are already surrounded by people", Alya said to the camera, "I hope it's not like this all the n...".

"LAAADYBUUUUG!"

That voice almost made her drop her phone. From the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of yellow before Chloe practically jumped over Ladybug, pushing both her and Chat Noir to the side. Ladybug grimaced while trying to free herself from Chloe's grasp, but one of her arms was around her shoulders while raising her phone with the other one to take selfies.

"Awww look at yoooou!", Chloe said, showing her the pic she had taken. "You look almost as good as me!"

"Umm... Thank you?", Ladybug replied, pushing her arm away from her shoulders. Chat Noir snickered.

"I look fabulous, don't you think?", she said, playing with the tip of her dress. "My dress is a Versace, my daddy bought it specially for this ball. I bet it costs more than your houses put together!"

Ladybug frowned, and was about to say something when the Mayor approached them, one of his hands over Chloe's shoulder.

"Only the best for my princess" he smiled, then turned to Ladybug and Chat Noir. "Come with me a minute, there is someone that wants to meet you".

"Ugh, you mean that old lady that doesn't even remember her own name? She's so boring and pathetic!"

"She is the grandmother of the President", the Mayor said, gritting his teeth. "A very, very respectable woman that could ask her grandson to kick us out of the country if she wants to", he joked, but it sounded like there was truth hidden behind his laugh. "So, Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

"Of course we are coming", Ladybug smiled, both her and her partner walking past Chloe to follow the Mayor. Alya walked through the hall to get closer, asking herself if the Ladybloggers would care about Ladybug and Chat Noir's meeting with the President's grandmother. She didn't think so, most of the fans only cared about if they were dating or not, but her job as a blogger was to inform them about every movement the heroes did.

Alya reached a table that was close enough to them and pretended to be picking some fruits while Ladybug and Chat Noir met the lady. She was old, her hair was white and her eyes were as blue as the elegant dress coat she was wearing. "It's an honor to finally meet you", she said while shaking their hands. "My great-granddaughter is a huge fan".

Their conversation was short and extremely polite, Chat Noir smiling and nodding at whatever the lady said, while Ladybug played with her fingers and tried to contribute to the conversation, sometimes tapping the floor with her foot. She looked nervous, Alya realized. Nervousness didn't suit her, not when five minutes ago she almost killed the entire hall with her beauty. Right now she kinda looked like she didn't know what to do. Maybe the prospect of having the President's grandmother in front of her made her nervous? Being Ladybug in general was a giant responsibility, of course she wouldn't want to mess anything up. Chat Noir looked way more calm though, as if he had practiced the conversation over and over again.

The meeting finished with a picture of Ladybug and Chat Noir with the lady, taken by the official photographer of the event who had been taking pics of the people, the hall, and even the food. The lady left and the heroes were finally alone. Alya had her camera ready, her aim was to get at least a quick interview with them. But then the Mayor appeared again, this time with a black-haired man that Alya didn't recognize.

"Ladybug, Chat Noir, let me introduce you mister Bernadotte, the Headmaster of the Swedish Royal University".

"What an spectacle you did in those stairs, my assistant wouldn't shut up about how good you both look", he said, shaking their hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you. And please, call me Benjamin."

Alya sighed. For the next hour, all Ladybug and Chat Noir could do was talk with every single person Bourgeois brought to them. At first Alya stayed close, waiting for the perfect chance to go and get her interview, but soon got bored and decided to try and enjoy the party (not even Ladybug seemed to be happy with all that talking, after all). She started trying the food: everything was delicious. The cake and the macarons were not from Tom and Sabine's bakery and certainly were not as wonderful as theirs, but they still tasted good. The fruits were fresh and juicy, and she had to admit she spent more than a few minutes enjoying the paradise that was the chocolate fountain. She wasn't old enough to drink alcohol, so some waiter offered her a raspberry juice and she drank it happily. The glass was adorned with a piece of pineapple and a tiny umbrella. She took a selfie while drinking and sent it to the WhatsApp group she shared with Marinette, Nino and Adrien.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir are busy meeting the guests, so right now here I am trying this delicious food. Just look at this!", Alya said to her camera, showing a salt shaker with the form of Ladybug she had found in one of the tables. "Isn't it the cutest thing? Oh, and look at the napkins!", she added while showing two napkins, one of them adorned with Ladybug's symbol in a corner and the other one with Chat Noir's. "Would it be weird if I take them home? Because I really, really want to."

She already had recorded five videos, thankfully Nino would help her to edit them and turn them into a single videoblog. Even though Alya had done everything on the Ladyblog by herself for months, he was still more skilled than her when it came to technology and sometimes, when she was too busy or had run out of time, she could always use his help. As the aspiring director he was, he always tried to make her videos look as epic as possible, which only improved Ladybug and Chat Noir's awesomeness (besides, asking him for help usually meant that he had to visit her o vice versa, so it was a win-win).

Alya was adding some ice to her juice when she saw the Mayor talking with someone near the entrance of the hall. If he was there, she wanted to believe he finally had left Ladybug and Chat Noir in peace. Praying that they were alone, she took her glass and, phone in hand, she walked between the people towards the front part, where, thank God, she found them. Ladybug and Chat Noir were together, alone, by the table of the pastries. They were eating, probably for the first time since the ball started, and were whispering between themselves.

"It's normal, you're out of your comfort zone" Chat Noir was saying. "You've never liked the idea of being a star".

"That's because we're not stars, we are superheroes".

"We are being treated as stars and none of us is used to it. Listen, just smile and nod at whatever these people say to you, that's what I've been doing the whole night".

"You just joked with the President of the National Bank".

"I  _relaxed_. The guy made a pun, he deserved a pun back. That's what you have to do", he said, laying his hands over her shoulders and massaging them. "Relax. This ball is in your honor, enjoy it".

Alya cleared her throat, part of her wanting to keep watching the interaction while the other one was afraid that, if she didn't do something now, someone may arrive and make her lose her opportunity to get an interview. Both heroes turned to her at the sound, Chat Noir pulling his hands away from his partner.

"Look who we have here", he said. "Why am I not surprised to find the Ladyblog girl at our ball, Ladybug?"

"I never disappoint" Alya replied with a smirk.

"You certainly don't", Ladybug smiled. "You look amazing, Alya".

 _OHMYGOD LADYBUG SAID I LOOK AMAZING_.

"Second most beautiful girl in this party for sure", Chat Noir winked.

_LORD HELP ME IF I'M DREAMING PLEASE DON'T WAKE ME UP._

"Nice try, but if you think you're gonna free yourselves from my interview just by giving me compliments, you are so wrong", she said smoothly (instead of screaming. She would have time to fangirl later).

"Well, we had to try", Chat Noir sighed dramatically, leaving the croissant he was eating over the table behind him.

Alya started recording, showing herself to the camera with Ladybug and Chat Noir by her side. "Hey Ladybloggers, I finally made it: look who I am with!", she said excitedly, turning so she was only showing the heroes, who smiled and waved at her phone. "So, Ladybug and Chat Noir, how does it feel to attend to a party in your honor?"

"It's been exciting, definitely". Ladybug answered. "We are so grateful and happy to be here".

"Would you like this to become a tradition or you prefer it to be a one-time thing?"

"Umm" Ladybug frowned. "I haven't really thought about it. Although it feels good to receive the citizens' love and gratefulness, knowing that the city is safe thanks to what we do is enough payment for us. We don't need anything else".

"But I have to say that whether someone invites us to eat more of this food, I won't say no" Chat Noir added, signaling the table behind him. Ladybug rolled her eyes.

"You look wonderful in your outfits, you almost killed the whole hall with your first appearance" Alya continued. "Can we get a closer look?".

"Of course!" Ladybug answered as if she had been waiting that question the whole night. She took a step forward and  _twirled_ , her red and black dress moving elegantically around her creamy legs, a sweet smile playing at her lips.

 

Alya took in all the details, from the way the fabric moved as if it was made of feathers to the hexagonal pattern that adorned it. The same pattern, she remembered, that adorned their superhero suits. If she was correct, that could mean that Ladybug's and Chat Noir's outfits came from the same place their normal suits did.

 _Their Miraculouses_ , she thought, looking at Ladybug's red earrings and Chat Noir's black ring. They were wearing the same masks and had their tools with them, which meant that they were transformed. They had used their Miraculous to make their normal suits appropriate for the ball, but how?

"Dang it, girl, it fits you perfectly, I'm jealous" Alya said, moving the camera to show Chat Noir's suit. "Can you tell us who is the mind behind these beauties?"

"Ah ah ah, don't forget it: a superhero never tell their secrets!"

Alya smirked. Af if they could hide something from her.

"I had to try" she sighed. "Okay, easy question: who of you needed more time to find the perfect outfit?"

"Ladybug".

"What? Me?"

"It took her  _three weeks_  to decide what she wanted".

"That's not true!"

"Should the dress be long or short?" said Chat Noir with a high-pitched voice. "Should I wear gloves? With sleeves or no sleeves? Wait, where would my yo-yo go? Will I need a purse? Oh, and my hair! Do I wear pigtails? A bun? Braids?"

"Thank yoooou, Chat Noir" Ladybug said, covering her face in embarrassment. "I think they got it".

Alya was snickering, an evil smile appearing on her face. "But it was worth it, uh, Chat Noir?"

"Um" he blushed, "Yeah, of course".

 _I'm a genius,_  Alya thought, making sure her phone was recording Chat Noir's sudden shyness and the way Ladybug looked at him between her fingers.

"Most of the fans believed— _and wanted_ —you two would pick your outfits together" she continued. "Did you see each other dressed before tonight?".

"No, actually... Chat Noir wanted it to be a surprise".

"What? Really?" she certainly wasn't expecting that. Alya already knew Ladybug and Chat Noir hadn't seen each other in their formal outfits before (judging by the reactions she saw earlier in the meeting room, it was kinda obvious) but she never imagined that would be the reason.

"It would have been boring to see her before tonight, don't you think?" he said, crossing his arms over his chest, his cheeks betraying his embarrassment. "Like... over a dirty rooftop. At night. Without the hair and the make up and the shoes and..." he was rambling, and Alya smiled.

"So you preferred to do it as a groom and a bride: don't see the dress before the wedding".

If Alya was a cartoon, there would probably be horns growing over her head. Thankfully Chat Noir wasn't drinking, because he would have choked. He looked like he wanted to bury himself, leave the country and never come back, looking at anywhere except Alya's phone and Ladybug.  _This is gold_ , Alya thought, one more time remembering herself that she would have time to fangirl later, because Ladybug looked embarrassed too, but also very, very pleased.

"Ladybug, Chat Noir! Oh, it's been ages!" someone said behind them, and Alya almost jumped because she would recognize that voice anywhere. She saved her video and turned, looking at Jagged Stone as he—dressed in a extravagant suit that respected his usual style—approached the heroes, standing between them and patting their backs. "I haven't seen you since when? The last akuma attack? You both are  _rockin'_  it in those clothes!"

"Mister Stone! Just two days ago I heard you were on a worldwide tour!" Ladybug said, looking genuinely surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Meh, I was in Milan but took the first flight to Paris to see my favorite fans", he said, patting their backs again. "Too bad Fang couldn't make it though. Apparently Bourgeois' invitation 'didn't include crocodiles'" he rolled his eyes.

"What a shame", Chat Noir whispered.

"Yeah, I'll have a word with the man soon. Fang would have loved all this food, especially the ribs, those are his favorite along with fried rats and... oh, there you are!" Jagged suddenly said, looking past Alya, where someone else was standing. It was a girl, she seemed like her age and was dressed in a purple dress, its color very similar to Alya's, just a little bit shorter. "Guys, that's my niece, Elodie".

"You have a niece?" Ladybug said, smiling to the girl who was approaching them, her hands traveling towards her face while her dark eyes opened widely. "Oh, God, it's you", she said, focused on Chat Noir only, looking at him as if he was a ghost. "I... Excuse me but... I really need to do this" and then she jumped over him to hug him, her arms firmly around his neck, her jaw over his shoulder. "Oh my God I can't believe it oh my God oh my God" she said to his ear excitedly. Although confused, Chat Noir hugged her back, probably understanding that the girl was a very happy fan. "I can't believe you are real oh my God I'm your number one fan I love you so much I can't believe it's you oh my God".

"She has posters of you in her bedroom" Jagged mouthed, making Chat Noir chuckle.

"I've been your fan since you arrived to Paris" Elodie continued. "You're my favorite person in the world."

"Well, I feel honored then" Chat Noir said, pulling her arms away from his shoulders gently. "I mean, your uncle is Jagged Stone".

"Yeah but he's not as cool as you". Jagged gasped at that, and looked at her clearly offended. But Elodie's eyes were only focused on Chat Noir. Alya raised her eyebrows. It seemed like her fanaticism had turned into a crush at some point. She had the same expression Marinette had everytime she looked at pictures of Adrien.

And she had posters of him on her walls too.

"Um, let's say I believe you" he smiled sweetly. "Would you like a pic with us, Elodie?"

"OH, YES, PLEASE!". For the first time, she seemed to realize that Ladybug was there too, because she greeted her and asked her to get closer. Alya offered to take the picture of the four of them, Elodie hugging Chat Noir with Ladybug and Jagged Stone by their sides posing awkwardly. It was new to her to see a fan that preferred Chat Noir over Ladybug, usually it was the other way around. When the pic was taken, Elodie asked for a selfie with Chat, which set as wallpaper immediately after.

 

 

"Thank you so much, this is the best day of my life" the girl said. Alya looked at her phone: it was eleven thirty, which meant that the waltz would begin soon. She needed Elodie and Jagged to leave if she wanted to continue her interview. "Honestly when Penny gave me her invitation I never thought I'd get the chance to..."

 _Come ooooon_ , Alya said to herself, tapping her foot against the floor anxiously.

"Besides I love what you do for the city and I wish..."

"Umm, I'm sorry, darling, I don't want to be rude but we were in the middle of something here" Alya finally said, showing her the phone. "We want to finish an interview".

"Wait, you are the girl from the Ladyblog!". Sighing, Alya nodded. "How is that I didn't recognize you before? I'm so so sorry, God, I'll leave now. Can't wait to see the interview" she said, giving Ladybug a quick hug and Chat a not-too-quick hug. "Come on, uncle Jagged, they are busy!". The next thing Alya knew, Elodie was dragging Jagged Stone by the wrist and disappearing between the rest of the guests. "I love you, Chat Noir, bye!"

Ladybug, Chat Noir and Alya looked at each other with confusion. That had been extremely weird.

"Wow" Ladybug was the first to talk. "That poor girl has a giant crush on you".

"Nah, she was excited, that's it" Chat Noir replied. A voice inside her head said to Alya that she better recorded this conversation.

"Didn't you see the way she left? She practically ran as soon as Alya asked her to leave. Obviously she didn't want you to see her as a bother".

"She respected our space?"

"You make her nervous, and when a boy makes us nervous we act without thinking, we do stupid stuff and we start rambling. She even said you are cooler than Jagged Stone, and that can't be possible!"

"My lady, are you talking from personal experience?"

 _It seems so_ , Alya thought.

"Duh, of course not!" she frowned, and then turned to her. "Can we continue the interview, please?"

"Uh, okay..." Alya cleared her throat. "Right, so... what do you think about the forbiddance of crocodiles in this party?"

 

••• 

 

After that ridiculous first question, the interview went well. They didn't talk about the ball anymore, but about the battle against Hawk Moth instead. She had to resist the urge to ask about Rena Rouge: Alya knew perfectly well what happened to her, but the citizens that caught a glimpse of the fox hero had been asking questions for weeks now and Alya was tired of saying she didn't have any information about it. She would have asked if Ladybug didn't know Rena Rouge was actually in front of her: she warned her about the importance of secrecy and Alya wouldn't betray her, not when she had the tiny hope of using her Miraculous one more time if she was ever needed again.

Alya made sure to send a copy of the videos to Nino just in case some catastrophe happened. Thanks to her good luck, she was done just in time: at eleven forty five, the music was turned off, the lights turned tenuous, and suddenly the whole hall fell silent.

"Ladies and gentleman" a voice in off said, "please clear the dance floor for the first waltz to begin".

A murmuring was heard, people started moving in the darkness until the crowd was positioned against the tables and near the entrance of the hall. Alya stayed where she was, just making sure of being in the front row, her camera recording the center where a single spotlight had appeared.

"As we practiced" Alya heard Ladybug whisper, and from the corner of her eye she saw Chat Noir nodding.

The reflector started swimming between the crowd, its light illuminating different faces until it found its objective: for the second time in that night, Ladybug and Chat Noir were illuminated by a white light, their eyes reflecting its brightness as he extended a hand for her to take. Slowly, they started walking towards the center of the hall, the reflector following their steps while the guests moved out of their way, making them seem untouchable. "Guys, the moment we've been waiting for is finally here" Alya whispered to her camera, showing when Ladybug's hand traveled to Chat Noir's shoulder and his to her waist, while their free hands joined in the space by their side. They looked nervous, she realized, especially Ladybug, who received a calming smile from her partner when the music started.

It was a violin, its soft strings filling the entire room with their high sound. Chat Noir took a step forwards, Ladybug backwards, and their waltz began. They started dancing softly, shyly, following the quiet rhythm of the music, knowing perfectly well that a thousand eyes were over them at the moment. Alya had to decide between looking at her phone to make sure her video was good or looking at the real thing and living something what will probably never happen again. She decided the latter, her eyes enjoying the spectacle as the couple turned, Ladybug's dress swinging beautifully around her legs, the fabric hugging her curves as if it was part of her skin. A piano joined the violin, the music growing in the background along with the heroes' dancing, which was followed second by second by the reflector that made them shine even more than they did by themselves. Their outfits and their postures made them look perfect, and their height difference was the most adorable thing Alya had seen. When they turned again, their foot moving from left to right in synchronization, she wondered how two people could be that beautiful.

The only thing that betrayed their nervousness was their tense arms, that held each other as if their lives depended on it. Alya wondered if anyone noticed it, but she didn't think so. When it came to Ladybug and Chat Noir, she noticed details no one else did, for example the silent conversation they were having while dancing, the way they looked at each other and communicated just as they did in the battlefield. Sometimes they would nod, sometimes they would whisper a single word, and sometimes they would just look, their eyes stuck together as if glued. When Chat Noir held his arm up for Ladybug to twirl under it, and when she moved with so much class that made the witnesses gasp, he smiled proudly, holding her closer than before, making her relax. Alya noticed when she sighed, the tension finally abandoning her arms, hers and her partner's movements turning more natural and spontaneous. And that's when the spell began.

For the second time that night, they were the only thing that existed. They were the light that illuminated the hall, the music that echoed through the walls, the magic that blinded every person that was around, making them believe that the couple was inside a crystal ball that no human was worthy of putting a foot on. Ladybug and Chat Noir were precious, their dancing so majestic that attracted the eyes of the people like pollen to the bees. Alya wondered if they knew it, if they were conscious that every move they did was heavenly, that the way their legs moved from side to side had the entire room hypnotized. They just danced, danced and danced, the dance floor surrendering before their twirls, just like everyone did the moment they made their first appearance on that terrace. That was the moment, Alya realized, that they made clear that this night was theirs, that the guests would feel their presence in their souls, their magic sinking into their hearts over and over again.

Alya tried to talk to her camera, but no words came out. Her eyes were glassy and her hands were trembling, her entire body shaking because those two were  _so_  beautiful and she was  _so_  fortunate to be able to have them in front of her. They were precious, Alya felt so proud of them for being that wonderful. They were a treasure she wanted to protect forever  _and what is Bourgeois doing on the dance floor?_

She frowned, her idyllic thoughts interrupted by the Mayor's sudden appearance. He, fixing his tie with a giant smile on his face, was walking towards the couple, who only noted his presence when he was close enough. Both Ladybug and Chat Noir stopped dancing abruptly at the sight of him, confusion clear on their expressions, even concern on Ladybug's. "Is something wrong?" she mouthed, probably thinking the Mayor was about to inform them about an akuma attack. But he shook his head, said something that Alya couldn't catch, and extended his hand to Ladybug. "What is he doing?" Alya asked to no one in particular, her frown getting more prominent when Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other, having a silent conversation that didn't last more than two seconds before Ladybug's hand rested over the Mayor's.

"The Mayor asked Ladybug for a dance" some guy said by her side, but Alya was too horrified to see who it was. She was focused on Ladybug as she placed her hand on Bourgeois' shoulder instead, feeling the purest hate towards that man because  _how dare you interrupt LadyNoir's perfect waltz?_

They started dancing, lacking the chemistry that the previous couple had had. Ladybug's smile was polite, while Bourgeois' was so big that it made Alya uncomfortable. She decided to look for Chat Noir, and felt immediately sorry for the poor boy who looked like he had no idea what to do. He was still in the spot Ladybug had left him, and started awkwardly walking backwards as if expecting for someone to tell him to stay there. It was obvious that he hadn't been told that Bourgeois would want to dance with Ladybug, which resulted in him trying to leave unnoticed even though half of the eyes in the hall were over him. He looked so distressed that Alya felt the need to help. But how?

Somebody else found the way before her. One second Chat Noir was there all alone and lost, and in the next one a person—a girl—took his arm and started dragging him back to the dance floor. The girl—Jagged Stone's niece, Alya realized—quickly took Chat's hand in hers, put his on her waist, and started dancing, her free hand finding its way to his shoulder. Chat Noir looked surprised, to say the least, but soon started to follow her steps. Forwards and backwards, left and right, until he felt comfortable again. "Oh, hi", Alya thought he said judging by the movement of his lips, relief clear on his expression.

 _Okay..._ , Alya thought.  _She rescued him._

So now there were two couples sharing the same song, dancing nicely but without the magic that Ladybug and Chat Noir had radiated earlier, without the genuine smiles that had appeared on their faces while dancing together. Alya didn't know if it was because she was annoyed with him but she considered Bourgeois was the most boring dancer, only turning from time to time, preventing Ladybug from showing her dance skills and her beautiful dress.

The music reached its peak and both couples turned, taking advantage of all the space they had to dance. Now there was not one, but two reflectors that illuminated the floor, following the dancers wherever they went. Chat Noir extended his arm and made Elodie twirl, her brown hair waving over her back. She looked undeniably happy. Alya couldn't help but feel sympathy. She was a lucky fan too.

"Yeeeahhh, rock and rooooll,  _niecey_!" Someone screamed in the crowd. Most of the people turned to see Jagged Stone raising his arms to the air, clapping at his niece proudly and earning the laughter of the guests. Alya laughed too, her attention back to the dancers to notice they had been as distracted as the crowd, and without planning to, she saw the moment Ladybug realized she was not alone on the dance floor. Her polite smile died when she saw the black outfit of her partner, and it took her two seconds and Elodie turning one more time to understand what he was doing and who he was with. And then...

 _Oh_ , Alya thought.

...and then Ladybug  _paled_. The color drained from her face, her lips parting as if she had just seen a ghost. A wrong move of her foot resulted in her stepping on the Mayor's, who squealed in pain.

"I-I'm sorry!" Ladybug said, her attention back to him, her face so pale that Alya thought she might faint. "It's okay" Bourgeois replied, gritting his teeth. They returned to their waltz almost as if nothing had happened. Almost, because Ladybug's previous smile was absent, replaced by the thin line that were now her lips, and seemed shocked like the world had suddenly started crumbling underneath her feet. When Chat Noir and Elodie danced past them, Ladybug's eyes followed them. The Mayor made her turn, but Ladybug's eyes stayed on Chat Noir's back as if glued. It was now her the one that seemed to be lost, struggling between keeping looking or trying to escape, her body moving only when Bourgeois asked her to move, her skin as white as a paper, the usual brightness of her eyes now completely extinct.

"She's hurt" Alya whispered to herself, her camera focusing to the floor when both of her arms fell to each side of her body at the realization. She didn't stop to try and discover why or how. The only thing that mattered at the moment was that Ladybug was  _hurt_  and she needed  _help_.

Her instinct told her she had to think and fast. In a quick movement, Alya's phone was saved in her purse. She looked around trying to find something that would work, and for the first time noticed a red-haired boy that was standing by her side. Judging by his clothes, he wasn't a guest but a waiter that had stopped working to see the waltz.

"You, dance with me" Alya said, not expecting a response before taking the boy's arm and dragging him towards the dance floor. She didn't stop until their reached the center, just between the other two couples to act as a barrier and prevent Ladybug to keep looking. She positioned herself and started dancing, looking at the crowd around them and waiting. And waiting, and waiting, and waiting.

 _Please_ , she thought.

And then, another couple joined, a man and a woman that shyly got into the dance floor and started dancing too. Alya smiled, turning to the other side of the room because from the corner of her eye she saw another couple joining, this time a boy and a girl who kissed the moment they started their waltz. Alya sighed in relief when more couples joined, dozens of couples that followed her example until the dance floor was full of people, all of them moving slowly to the rhythm of the music. Holding the boy she was dancing with by the arm, Alya moved through the people until she found a spot where she could see Ladybug and Chat Noir at the same time. Relieved she saw her plan had worked: since there were too many couples dancing, Ladybug couldn't see Chat Noir anymore. That would give her time to calm down about whatever that had happened to her.

Unfortunately, she still looked distressed, unable to show again her previous smile to Bourgeois, who was now realizing that the spectacle has ended and they were not the main attraction of the crowd anymore, frowning at a woman that apparently had been drinking too much and was now hanging from the neck of a man while laughing hysterically, disturbing the dancers around her.

"Are we spying on Ladybug?" Alya heard the boy say, but she was too distracted looking at a third person that was approaching the hero to reply.

"Look at you, André, I see that you are well accompanied".

Even if she hadn't been looking and even though she didn't hear that voice often, she would have recognized it anywhere. Surprised, she saw that none other than Gabriel Agreste was by Ladybug's side, dressed in an elegant white suit while his cold eyes looked at Bourgeois behind his glasses.

"Gabriel, my friend!" he said, releasing Ladybug to shake his hand. "Long time no see! What brought you here? Apart from the invitation I sent to you, obviously" he laughed, though no one else did.

"Actually" Gabriel said, "the reason I'm here is because I would like to ask Ladybug for a dance. If she doesn't mind, that is".

 _What?,_ Alya thought, her surprised face matching Ladybug's.

"Of course she doesn't mind! And you're just in time. I've been told twice that the wine we got is absolutely wonderful and I'm finally seeing the table is free, so I'm gonna go and give it a try" he smiled at Ladybug. "Thank you for the dance, I really enjoyed it".

"Um... you're welcome".

Bourgeois finally left, and Gabriel was about to say something when the drunk woman accidentally pushed him in the back, which made him look at her with so much disgust that it made Alya shiver. Thankfully, and instead of doing anything Gabriel-like (asking the guards to kick the woman out of the party, for example), he signaled Ladybug to follow him to an area of the dance floor that was emptier and free of drunk people. But Alya realized he was guiding her towards where Chat Noir was and judging by the way Ladybug's eyes traveled from face to face, she had realized it too, which meant that Alya would have to act again. One more time she took her dance partner by the arm (it was impressive he hadn't abandoned her yet) and followed them, stopping meters away from where they had started dancing.

"I couldn't help but notice your dress. The design is exquisite, and the fabric like anything I've seen before" Gabriel said, rubbing with interest the fabric that covered Ladybug's hand.

"Thank you, it's actually..." she started replying, her words dying in her throat when she saw something— _someone_ —behind Gabriel's back. "it's... it's o-original. Yeah".

"You designed it?" he raised his eyebrows.

"No, I mean... I didn't, not the way you design, since I'm not a des..." her face changed abruptly again, her skin still as white as a sheet. But this time she hid it quickly, looking at Gabriel and forcing herself to answer. "What I mean is, I doubt you are going to find this design anywhere else. The dress was made specially for me". And she made Gabriel turn, they changed positions so she wouldn't have to keep looking.

"In that case, please tell the designer that they made an magnificent job. I'm looking forward to see more of their designs".

"I will" Ladybug smiled. "Thank you".

Alya stayed close, soon realizing that it was her inner Rena Rouge instinct that was asking her to take care of Ladybug. Minutes passed, a new song began, and Ladybug seemed to be more relaxed. Not happy, but at least she had regained the control over her expressions and body. Even when she turned again and one more time saw that thing she had been avoiding, she hid it quickly and kept listening to wherever Gabriel was saying to her.

Ladybug reminded her of Marinette in that moment, and that thought was the one that made her go for plan B. Alya looked around searching for something that would help, and the only thing she found was two men having a heated conversation dangerously close to the pyramid of glasses, their faces centimeters from each other, Bourgeois' so red in anger that he seemed about to explode. Apparently Jagged Stone was finally avenging his pet's absence.

_Perfect._

"I'm sorry, I need to go to the restroom" Alya said to the boy she was dancing with, looking at his face for the first time. His eyes were dark chocolate and his skin was covered in freckles. "Thanks for the dancing. Bye!"

"Wait!" the boy took her hand when she was about to leave, stopping her. "Can I have your number? Your name at least?"

Alya blinked.  _Oops_.

"Um. It's Alya, but... I have a boyfriend, sorry" and she left, making a mental note to remember she had to think her plans better in the future.

Alya walked through the people until she found Chat Noir, who didn't seem too comfortable since Elodie was one more time professing her loyal fanaticism to him. She couldn't have picked a better time to approach them.

"...and you're so awesome and Ladybug is amazing and I love you so much and..."

"Um, Elodie?" Alya said, making the girl stop talking and look at her. "I'm sorry for interrupting but... I just saw your uncle confronting the Mayor for not letting him bring Fang and I thought you should know it".

"What?  _Again?_ " Elodie said, releasing Chat Noir to stand on the tip of her toes and try to find Jagged. "Where is he?"

"By the table of the drinks. I would go fast. Bourgeois' face was as red as a tomato".

"Ugh, he's like a child! I wish Penny was here, she's the only one that knows how to control him" she sighed. "I'll go and see what's happening. Thank you, Alya!".

As quickly as she did before, Elodie left, disappearing between the people towards the table of the drinks. "Hopefully she is going to find Jagged Stone before he does anything to the Mayor" Chat Noir said in a low voice for her only to hear. "Though I won't deny I would enjoy seeing a guitar buried in his face". The comment made Alya laugh, her laughter mixing with Chat Noir's chuckles. "So" he said, looking around. "Where's Ladybug? I lost sight of her when all these couples joined us".

Alya signaled with her finger behind her, moving out the way to let Chat Noir see where Ladybug was. "Is that Gabriel Agreste?" he sounded genuinely surprised. "I wasn't expecting that".

"Are you going to ask her to dance with you again?" Alya asked casually, as if she wasn't thinking  _say yes, say yes, say yes_  inside her head.

"I'm not sure" he replied, turning to the table behind him where the pastries were. He offered a macaron to Alya and picked one for himself. "Usually she doesn't appreciate my advances" he tried to smile, but grimaced instead. "We  _had_  to dance earlier, you know. For protocol".

"Oh" Alya frowned. "But that doesn't mean Ladybug won't want to dance with you anymore. I mean... you're partners, right? You do stuff together".

This time, Chat Noir chuckled. "Our relationship isn't as perfect as you think it is, Alya. I've read fanfics" he added before Alya could respond. "In most of them Ladybug and I say we love each other like... every five minutes" he laughed, a sad smile playing at his lips. "We're not like that".

Alya's brows furrowed even more, an inexplicable sadness burning in her stomach. "Fans only believe it because that's what it seems. I've seen you both close enough". Even closer than he thought.

Chat Noir took a couple of seconds to think, his fingers playing with the macaron he was eating. "I'm not saying I don't wish we acted the way fans think we act, though".

Her eyebrows raised at his statement, her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "That sounds sad" she whispered.

Chat Noir hummed, his eyes on his macaron as he took the last bite. And then he stood straight and fixed his jacket. He did look extremely handsome with that outfit. "Come" he said, extending a hand towards her. "Dance with me".

Alya gasped dramatically, one of her hands traveling to her forehead while the other one rested on Chat Noir's. "Oh-my-Gooood" she yelled. "This is the best day of my liiife". He laughed at her antics, holding her waist while she put her hand on his shoulder. "We've talked enough about me tonight, missy" he said. "Can I ask you for an interview?"

"So this is how it feels to be on the other side" Alya said, pretending to be impressed while her feet started moving along with his. "Okay, ask".

"How did you do it to be here? Only the people that had an invitation could attend". He seemed genuinely interested.

"Oh,  _that._ Yeah, I had to move mountains to come" she smirked, extending her arm to make him twirl, his cat ears crashing against her skin. He laughed.

"Seriously, how did you do it?"

"See that man over there?" Alya signaled to a point behind him, where Gabriel was still dancing with Ladybug. "His son is one of my best friends. He gave me his invitation".

"Awwww that's cuuute" Chat Noir smiled. "He sounds like a very good friend, huh?".

"Indeed, he is" her smile matched his. They both turned when the music changed, the low sound of a pipe organ filling entirely the room. "That boy is like my baby. I have a group of friends, you know: Marinette is like my daughter, I always have to be taking care of her, making sure she doesn't get killed by her own clumsiness" both of them laughed, Chat Noir assuring her he knew Marinette, since he had saved her a couple of times. "There's Nino. At first I considered him a brother, but somehow he ended up becoming my boyfriend. We've been dating for three months".

"Is he going to get jealous for you dancing with Chat Noir?" he asked, making her twirl. For the first time in the night Alya felt like she was properly enjoying herself.

"Nah. If anything, he's going to feel envy. He's a fan of you". Alya's eyes moved through the crowd to find Ladybug, who was having her own chat with Gabriel. She silently wondered what were they talking about. "And then there's Adrien, my sunshine boy. He's the son I don't have, like he wakes up the maternal sense in me. It's weird".

Chat Noir looked at her with a fond smile, as if hearing her talk about her friends made him happy. Maybe she was reminding him of his? Or maybe he didn't have any?

"I'm sure they love you as much as you love them" he said, moving the hand that was joined to hers around her body, pushing her to the side and preventing her fall with his arm at the same time. "Smooth", Alya said with a smirk.

"I haven't seen you showing off that dress of yours the whole night and that's unacceptable" he helped her to stand, returning to their position, their legs swinging at the rhythm of the music.

"Did you say the same thing to Elodie?" she raised her eyebrows.

"As if. The few opportunities I had to talk I could only say two words before she started talking again."

Alya laughed, once again directing her eyes to where Ladybug was. And this time she was lucky, because her gaze caught the heroine's. Ladybug finally looked at her, and Alya could swear she saw the recognition in her eyes when she understood who she was actually looking at. Her lips parted in surprise, Alya winked, and then Ladybug  _smiled,_ the most genuine relief washing her features, her skin recovering its life and color.  _Don't worry, girl_ , Alya thought warmly. _Your boy is in good hands._

"What are you loo-...  _oh_ " Chat Noir said, his eyes following Alya's and finding his partner's, who smiled shyly at him. Then Ladybug turned to Gabriel, said something Alya couldn't catch, and he nodded. Gabriel released her, they both said their goodbyes and soon Ladybug was walking towards them, her hands together behind her back.

"Look who decided to come back!" Alya joked. "Did you have fun with mister if-I-don't-like-you-I'll-forbid-your-existence-eternally?"

Ladybug laughed. "Yeah, I did. Though he didn't forbid my existence, thankfully".

"I'm glad to hear that. Well, my job here is done" she said, her waltz with Chat Noir coming to an end when she released him. "Don't worry, I took care of the kitty while you were absent".

"Did he behave?" Ladybug said, getting closer to Chat Noir and—oh my God—intertwining her arm with his.

"Surprisingly, yes, he did" she replied, the hidden message implicit in her words. "Now I have to go and keep recording for my blog. I'll leave you and your boy to finish what Bourgeois interrupted" she winked again, feeling happiness for the way Ladybug's eyes shone, expressing the most sincere gratitude. Alya smiled one more time before she left them alone, feeling so satisfied with herself that she thought she deserved an award or something like that.

Of course, her real job wasn't done yet, because the ball hadn't finished and there was a lot to record, including a young superhero couple that, if they were doing as she said, were now returning to the waltz that they had pending. Alya made sure to be out of their line of sight before she started to surround the hall, coming back to where she had been dancing with Chat Noir, kneeling in the space between the tables and the wall in a way that only her forehead could be seen. They were close, so close that she risked to be discovered even though the plates over the table worked as a cover. She preferred to be sure, so she got under the table instead, the white tablecloth long enough that it would hide most of her body.

"...but I couldn't say no to him in front of everyone, that would have been horrible" Ladybug was saying, her voice low for Chat Noir only to hear. They were not dancing yet, so Alya took advantage of the moment and started preparing her camera. Hopefully she would find an angle that didn't look too bad.  _Maybe if I leave the phone over the table?,_ she thought.

"I know that, it's just that I wish he would have allowed us to dance at least the whole song. He interrupted us awfully early".

"I agree" she said, getting closer. "And I agreed with Alya too when she suggested we finish our waltz" she smiled, taking his hand in hers while the other one traveled to his neck.

"Eager, aren't we, my lady?" he snickered, his free hand resting on her back.

"I'm just doing what you asked me to do: relaxing" Ladybug replied, her body starting to swing along with his. "All that protocol is finally over, we can enjoy our ball now. Besides..." she added, her voice even lower when she got closer to his ear "I didn't feel as comfortable dancing with other people as I do dancing with you".

Chat Noir almost choked. "Um. Really?"

In response, Ladybug nodded. "Yeah. I didn't even want to dance with mister Agreste. Actually I think Bourgeois said yes instead of me".

"Wait, what?" Chat Noir pulled away to look at her, his green eyes wide in horror. "They forced you to dance with him?!" And then he frowned, turning like trying to find the two men in question, his body tensing with rage.

"No, kitty, calm down" Ladybug said, taking his arm to make him turn back to her. "It's okay, they didn't do anything wrong".

"Are you sure?" He asked, the frown still present on his face.

"Completely sure. And it's not like I can't defend myself, you know" Ladybug said, wrapping both of her arms around Chat Noir's neck, making Alya squeal in excitement.

"I know that, sorry" he sighed, his previous anger being replaced by anguish. "It's just that... some men don't  _ask_  before they do stuff to women. Or women say no and they do stuff anyway".

"Shh, calm down, kitty" Ladybug whispered, her voice so low that Alya could only understand following the movement of her lips. She almost screamed when Ladybug took advantage of her arms around his neck, stood on the tip of her toes and gave him a kiss on his cheek. Chat Noir's lips parted and his eyes widened, a sight Ladybug missed since her face was next to his, almost resting on his shoulder.

Alya's mouth hurt for the giant smile that had appeared on her face. "This is gold. This is real and this is gold" she said to her phone. "I just witnessed a LadyNoir kiss. I'm in Heav-" but her words died in her throat when, all of a sudden, Chat Noir took Ladybug by her forearms and pushed her away, keeping her at an arm's length. "What happened?" Ladybug asked, as confused as Alya was for the action.

"There is a man taking pics of us by the door next to the kitchen" he whispered, his cat hears moving slightly on the top of his head.

Ladybug's face became serious, but didn't turn around to see where the man was. Alya didn't even try, since everything she could see from her spot under the table was the white tablecloth, the floor, and the heroes in front of her.

"Right" she simply said, her arms wrapping one more time around his neck to keep dancing. "Let's just pretend he's not there. I think everyone has pictures of us by now".

"What I mean..." Chat Noir insisted, taking Ladybug's hands in his and pushing them away of his neck, making one of them rest in his shoulder while he held the other one in the space by their side, returning to the position they originally had. "...is that we're giving the wrong impression" he said, signaling with his head to another woman a few meters away from him, who hid her phone the moment Ladybug turned to see. Alya rolled her eyes. People didn't know about discretion.

Ladybug's eyes came back to him, her frown deepening while looking at her repositioned hands. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah" Chat Noir replied. "Why?".

"Are you sure?" Ladybug insisted. "You... you pushed me away. Twice".

"Ladybug" he sighed. "We don't want people drawing to the wrong conclusions, do we? They're already taking pics of us while dancing too close".

But judging by her lips that became a thin line, and the way her bright eyes searched for an answer in the face of her partner, Ladybug didn't seem to believe the excuse. She stopped her dance, releasing Chat Noir's hands. "Let's go to the garden" she said. "No one will see us there".

"The garden?" she nodded. "But if we disappear together, it'll be worse".

This time, concern washed her features. Ladybug seemed about to put her hand on his forehead to feel his temperature. She decided to talk instead: "Go first, I'll follow you later".

"Um, okaaay..." Chat Noir said, looking around to check nobody was looking and then walking past her, towards the wooden door hidden under the terrace. Ladybug stayed there, in front of the table so Alya could see the front of her beautiful dress. She was still frowning, clearly confused while picking a mini cupcake to eat. Since Alya had seen the way Ladybug and Chat Noir usually interacted, she was curious too about why he had just pushed her away. Chat Noir never did that. Actually, whatever chance he had to make an advance on her, he took it.

What had changed?

Alya needed to see what was going to happen in the garden. She wouldn't miss it for anything.

Ladybug stayed there for a couple of minutes more and Alya waited, forcing herself to be as quiet as possible, her knees hurting for their position against the floor. She couldn't risk Ladybug realizing she was there, she would definitely get upset if she discovered someone had been spying on her and Chat Noir. Alya asked herself how the heck would she follow them to the garden without being seen. Oh, if only she had her Miraculous...

"Ladybug!"

Alya groaned internally.  _Please no_ , she thought, looking under the tablecloth to see that Elodie once again was back, her head moving in every direction obviously looking for Chat Noir. Honestly the last thing Ladybug needed was that girl.  _I need a plan C. Quickly, plan C, plan C, plan C._

"Hey" Ladybug greeted. "It's nice to see you again".

 _Ha, yeah, you're delighted,_ Alya thought.

Elodie giggled. "Thank you. Um... is Chat Noir here?".

"Chat Noir?" she said, playing with her fingers nervously. From her angle she couldn't see if she was paling again.  _Tell her he left, Ladybug._

The hero sighed.

"He's outside, in the garden. You'll find him there".

Alya covered her face with her hands, her phone falling to the floor next to her legs.  _I don't want to see this_ , she thought.  _Ladybug, why._

"Oh, okay" Elodie replied. "Um. This will sound super silly but... I'm here because... you know, since Chat Noir is not here anymore I wanted to ask...".  _No, no, no, no, no, stop talking!._  Alya's heart started beating furiously, her whole body tensing in alert.  _DON'T. YOU. DARE. IF YOU RUIN MY SHIP I SWEAR TO GOD-_. "...if I could have a selfie with you?" she asked shyly. "I couldn't ask you earlier because Chat Noir was there and I was soooo so so nervous that I totally forgot".

 _Oh my God_ , Alya's hands fell from her face, her body melting in relief.

Ladybug laughed. "Of course you can, come here" she said, extending an arm to hug her by the waist, letting the girl take pics of them with her phone. "Thank yoouuu, thank you, thank you!" she said, hugging her. "And I'm sorry, I'm so ridiculous".

"No, you're not!" Ladybug said, smiling at her. "Having a crush is the most normal thing in the world!".

"What? No, I... I don't have a crush on Chat Noir" she blushed. "I'm just a way-too-obsessed fan".

"Really? You don't?" the disbelief was evident in her voice. Elodie shook her head. "Well... between you and me" Ladybug said, raising a hand next to her mouth to whisper "I would totally understand if you did". And she winked, making her giggle.

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you" she said, covering her red cheeks. "I better leave before I keep embarrassing myself. Uncle Jagged's presentation is starting soon and he wants me to be in the backstage" she rolled her eyes.

"Tell him I wish him the best luck" Ladybug said. "Chat Noir and I will be in the first row. We are huge fans of him".

"I will. Thank you, Ladybug!".

And she left, letting Alya breath again after that heart attack. "You care more about LadyNoir than your own love life" Nino had told her back when they were only friends. It had been a joke but for the first time Alya thought he was actually right. It was impressive the way she cared about a relationship that wasn't even hers. While deleting her last video—which showed Elodie's legs and the floor—she wondered if it would forever be like that or whether someday her excitement for LadyNoir would lessen.  _Let's wait and see,_  Alya thought, her gaze following Ladybug's heels as she walked past the tables and towards the wooden door that led to the garden. She had no idea what would happen in the future, but right now those two heroes were the only thing in her mind.

 

•••

 

Since all the guests were distracted with their dance, nobody realized Ladybug had just left the party. And nobody saw either a young girl deciding to come out of her hideout under the table two minutes later, thinking that hopefully Ladybug and Chat Noir would be far away enough that they wouldn't hear the door opening behind them, neither the sound of her heels burying in the grass of the impressive garden of the City Hall.

The first thing Alya thought when she saw it was that it looked like something out of a Disney movie. It was a maze of green plants that grew from the dirt to become walls almost as tall as her, which were beautifully adorned by colorful flowers and some tiny white bulbs that illuminated the place, granting the garden a feeling of elegance and mystery. Everything was green, from the grass she was standing on to the vines that had taken over the base of an angel-shaped sculpture whose mouth dropped a stream of water, the sound of the liquid crashing against the rock overshadowed by the music of the party.

Alya started walking quietly through the corridors, focused on finding the heroes but enjoying her first moments of calmness after a day that had been chaotic since she woke up. According to her phone, it was fifteen minutes past midnight. The summer night was warm, stars shone in the sky along with the moon that seemed to be following her wherever she went. It was a pretty night, and the waltz playing in the background was a good touch. Alya suddenly wished Nino was there with her. The place was perfect for a romantic date with someone special.

 _Speaking of romantic date..._ , she thought, and if she had been transformed into Rena Rouge, her fox ears would have perked at the sound of voices. As discreet as she could, she started walking towards the direction the voices came from, her legs flexed just a little so her head wouldn't be seen from afar. Along the way she found more sculptures and stone pots that contained beautiful flower arrangements with red, pink and white roses, illuminated by the tiny bulbs that were lost between the leaves of the walls that surrounded them.

"No, the worst scenario was me falling on my butt in the middle of the waltz. Gosh, It would have been so embarrassing".

"Nah, I would have helped you up and make it look like a super dramatic choreography".

 _Touché_. Alya smiled, taking the last steps until she finally found what she was looking for. Ladybug and Chat Noir had met in what seemed to be a small square: a round place with a fountain at the centre, wooden benches around it for people to sit and flower arrangements like the ones she had just seen. It was probably the prettiest area of the garden, Alya especially loved the white bulbs over the plants. She would talk to her mother about that. They both felt their own garden needed more decor, maybe they could copy the idea.

Ladybug was seated in one of the benches, her legs crossed one over the other with her hands resting on her knees. Meanwhile, Chat Noir was looking at the fountain with attention, his fingers touching the rock unconsciously while his eyes followed the water as it was ejected towards the sky only to fall back freely. Carefully, Alya looked for a space between the leaves and branches to place her phone, so she could record and stay hidden at the same time. She had to admit she was awfully nervous: if her presence was discovered, she would be in serious trouble for spying. Alya had to be as quiet as a stone if she didn't want to upset them.

"My hero" Ladybug rolled her eyes with a smile. "Actually, with those skinny arms you have, you would have fallen with me".

"Excuse meee?" Chat Noir said dramatically, turning to her with a hand over his chest. "You wound me, my lady. These beauties are a hundred percent muscle. Which I gained, by the way, while fighting bravely against some very dangerous akumas".

Ladybug didn't seem too impressed, and if she was, she hid it perfectly and only smirked. Maybe she was used to Chat Noir's displays, Alya decided.

"I think I have more muscles than you. I mean,  _anyone_ has more muscles than you, kitty".

"Oh, really?". Alya smiled when Chat Noir frowned. That was probably the exact reaction Ladybug was expecting. "Let's see, then" approaching her, he grabbed one of Ladybug's arms and extended it, then he positioned himself by her side and extended his own arm to compare them. Obviously, his was much bigger than hers in width and length. "Awww your arm si soooo tinyyyyy" he said childishly.

"What? Mine is bigger!"

Chat Noir looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "Are you serious?"

"Just look!"

"Ladybug, please..."

"If we asked someone else, I'm sure they'd agree with me".

Shaking his head, he sighed loudly. "My lady, I know it's super hard for you to admit you love my muscles, but lying to me like that? I thought you hated liars".

Instead of replying, Ladybug only laughed, oblivious of the smile her laugh had drawn on the lips of her partner. Alya was smiling too. They looked like an old married couple.

"No more jokes, please. I was serious" Ladybug said, her laugh fading little by little until it completely disappeared, just like Chat Noir's smile did. "When I asked if you were okay".

"I am" he said.

"You were acting strange" she insisted. "You never push me away. Was it... Did I do something to bother you?".

"Of course not" Chat Noir replied, settling down in the bench so he was almost in front of her. "Nothing happened, really. It's just that people were taking pics and... you hate it when the press and the fans start speculating about us, remember? I wanted to avoid it".

It took her a few seconds to respond. If Alya was correct, Ladybug seemed fearful of her own words. "That has never stopped you" she whispered, imitating Chat Noir's position so they were now in front of each other. "Kitty, you have said in live television that we are not dating  _yet_. How could I believe that you pushed me away because you wanted to avoid speculations?" Chat Noir opened his mouth to talk, but no words came out. He frowned. "Look" Ladybug said, "if I did or said something that bothered you, we can talk about it and fix the problem just like we always do".

"Ladybug" Chat Noir sighed tiredly.

"If you don't talk to me, it'll be worse".

This time, Chat Noir stood up, his fingers burying in his blond hair as Ladybug's gaze followed him walking towards the fountain. His hands found the rock and he let his weight rest over them, forcing Alya to accommodate her phone so she was recording both heroes.

"Haven't you thought about what Hawk Moth would do?" he said, the frown still present on his face. From her angle Alya could see that Ladybug was frowning too.

"About what?"

"About  _us_. If he believed we are dating" he explained. "Hawk Moth would try to take advantage of it. He would try to use our feelings to get our Miraculous. Just imagine it: he is totally capable of, I don't know, kidnapping you and threaten me with hurting you if I don't give him my ring, because he would  _know_ that he can use you to blackmail me".

"He can already do that. Everybody knows we are friends and that we care about each other's security" Ladybug reasoned. "He could even blackmail us with hurting an innocent civilian".

"Yeah, but..."

"Chat Noir" it was Ladybug's turn to sigh. She stood up and approached him, standing by his side in front of the fountain. "Come on, I think I know you more than I know myself" she whispered kindly. "What's wrong, kitty?".

Alya didn't have a good angle anymore, she needed to change her position if she wanted to record everything properly. She took her phone and carefully started moving to the left, getting closer to where the back of the fountain was. If she stood by the plants behind it, she would have Ladybug and Chat Noir just in front of her. The only problem was that she risked her phone was seen, but hopefully she would find another space between the leaves to hide it.

Chat Noir crossed his arms so his elbows were now resting on the fountain. Judging by his conflicted expression, he knew he didn't have any way to escape.

"I..." he said, his lips becoming a thin line. "You won't like it".

"Probably" Ladybug replied. "But whatever it is, I know we can fix it".

Chat Noir smiled sadly, a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Remember what I said earlier about men that do stuff to women without them wanting to?".

"Yes... Yes, I remember" Ladybug's voice sounded nervous, and suddenly Alya was nervous too. 

"Well..." he continued. "I don't want to be like that".

His words were left hanging in the air while both girls processed them. Alya didn't understand a thing and it seemed like Ladybug didn't either. "You are not like that" she said after a few seconds of silence. "Why would you?".

"I know I'm not like that. It's just..." his fingers once again buried in his hair "I don't want you to feel like I am like that".

"You are not making any sense, Chat Noir" Ladybug said, her voice as soft as velvet. "Unless you tried to force yourself on me or someone else, I wouldn't think that of you".

"I will never try to force myself on you or anyone else" he said with confidence. "What... What I mean is... that everything is different now".

 _Now?_ , Alya thought.

"Now?"

Chat Noir turned to her and nodded, his eyes pleading her to understand what he was trying to say. But for the first time, the silent conversation was completely one-sided, because no matter how hard she tried Ladybug couldn't understand the secret message. Her confusion was so evident that Chat Noir decided to try with words again.

"You... you remember when I told you what I feel for you, right?".

Alya couldn't help it: she gasped, her hand instinctively covering her mouth to prevent any other sound. She prayed to the universe that Ladybug and Chat Noir hadn't heard her, and thank to God they didn't. Apparently they were too involved in their conversation to realize anything that was happening around them.

"Yes, I remember".

 _Oh my Goodness,_  Alya thought, her heart beating so fast that it might explode.  _Oh my Goodness, oh my Goodness, oh my Goodness._ Her theory was totally right: Chat Noir did have feelings for Ladybug.  _Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, I KNEW IT!_

"Everything changed since that moment, don't you think?" Chat Noir said, his eyes not leaving hers. "You understood why I flirted so much with you, for example."

Ladybug hummed.

"And If I flirted with you now, you'd know what I'm trying to do".

The angle was good but it was still not perfect. Alya needed to find somewhere else to place her phone right now if she wanted to record everything. Her gaze traveled between the leaves and branches trying to find an area that would work. Gosh, the Ladybloggers were going to  _love_ that video...

"What are you trying to tell me?" Ladybug said, her eyes turning sad, as if expecting exactly what Chat Noir was about to say.

"I'm afraid that since that day you've been reading and will read my actions differently" he admitted. "That if... you know... that if I dance close to you, you'll think it's... it's only a move to conquer you".

And when she tried to show Ladybug's reaction to the camera, when she could capture her sad gaze clearly in her screen, guilt hit her, the strongest guilt burning in her stomach because it took her a while but Alya had finally realized that she was hearing and recording a conversation that was supposed to be private. She frowned, looking at her hands as if they weren't hers anymore.  _What am I doing_ , she thought, her camera abandoning the heroes and focusing on the ground, wondering where all that disgust and embarrassment towards herself came from, her inner journalist trying to ease the guilt imagining how happy the Ladybloggers would be when they discovered the truth: Chat Noir does love Ladybug. One of the most controversial questions of the fandom would finally be solved: Chat Noir was in love with Ladybug! Alya could already imagine the fanarts, the comics, the fandubs, the fanfics, the hashtags on Twitter, thousands and thousands of comments paralyzing her blog...!

Surprisingly, she couldn't feel good about it.

Her conscience was acting and Chat Noir's face crossed her mind, or more specifically, how his face would be if she posted his confession. The shocked face of the boy who had been nothing but friendly and supportive towards both Alya Césaire and Rena Rouge. The boy who twenty minutes ago was dancing with her and making her actually enjoy the party for the first time since she arrived. And she imagined how Ladybug's face would be too. The disappointed face of the girl who had saved her a countless number of times. The girl who trusted her enough to choose her and give her powers to help her and her partner even though she could have chosen anyone else.

 _What do you care more about_ , a voice said inside her head. It sounded a lot like Trixx's.  _Thousands and thousands of comments or Ladybug and Chat Noir's well-being?_

"That's not necessarily true." she heard Ladybug say. "You can't read my mind. You can't know how I'm going to read your actions".

If Alya dared to show this private moment to the world, she would never forgive herself.

Squeezing her eyelids, Alya deleted her video and saved her phone in her purse, hopefully her decision would help her to ease the guilt. She was still where she wasn't supposed to, after all. Ladybug and Chat Noir's conversation wasn't over yet and she was still spying. She needed to leave.

"I'm not saying that's what is going to happen, I'm saying that I'm afraid it might happen" he clarified, turning so he was looking at her. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me. I don't want to ruin our friendship".

Ladybug nodded slowly, Alya could almost see the gears moving inside her head while thinking. "You sound as if you didn't trust yourself" she whispered. "As if you didn't have control over your impulses". Chat Noir's ears perked at that, probably realizing that was exactly how he was sounding. "Why would one waltz put you in so much trouble? Is there anything I should know about, Chat Noir?" Ladybug asked, the tone of her voice giving Alya goosebumps.

He stood straight, his eyes wide in alert, throwing his hands before him in a calming gesture as he understood the meaning behind Ladybug's words. "Nothing bad, I swear!" he said quickly.

"What is it, then?" she insisted, much calmer now that—Alya thought—she knew Chat Noir didn't have any weird kink. "Why would I believe you will try to force yourself on me if we dance too close?"

"I... I..." he started babbling, and Alya had to kneel when his gaze suddenly focused in the area she was in. The good news was that the plants were thick enough to cover her, the bad news was that she'd have to think better before trying to leave. If she stood up, Chat Noir would definitely see her.

He sighed.

"I'm gonna say something weird but... please don't get mad at me, okay?"

"I'll try" Ladybug replied, nodding.

"Fine" he sighed again. "Look. Just... just imagine that boy you like. The boy you told me about that day, your crush".

This time, Alya was fast and avoided her gasp.  _Ladybug likes someone else._

"Are you imagining him? Good" Chat Noir said. She didn't see it but Alya thought Ladybug nodded again. "Imagine him in a suit. An elegant suit that fits him perfectly. And he's in this party with you instead of me. And he looks good, like wonderfully good. You look at him and you start drooling because he's the only person you can see and he's the most handsome boy on Earth, and...".

"Okaaaaay, I got it" Ladybug said, her cheeks as red as her dress. "What's the point on torturing me like this?"

Chat Noir smiled sadly at her. "No, listen to me. That boy looks so good. He's like, I don't know, a god, a king. You look at him and you can't believe someone can be that beautiful, like it's impossible for anyone else to be as marvelous as he is. And he's close to you, super super close to you and you want to touch him, hug him,  _kiss_ him. Your body is hurting for him and you need to kiss him and tell him how precious you think he is. It's like a biological need. You are so attracted to him that his mere presence seems to pull you to him" he stopped to breath, though the tension was still present on his shoulders. "Can you picture it?"

"Yup" Ladybug replied, her hands covering her red cheeks. "It's easier than you think, actually. But I still don't understand why are you trying to make me faint".

This time, he laughed, but it was probably the saddest laugh Alya had ever heard.  _Poor boy,_  she thought, suddenly wishing there was a way to cure a broken heart. He certainly needed it.

"Yeah, that. Um... What this is... I mean... What I'm trying to do is..." Chat Noir cleared his throat. "It's just... This is my way of showing you how I've been feeling since I first saw you with that dress".

Ladybug froze, her lips parting while her eyes widened, her cheeks getting even redder than they already were. It looked like her brain had completely stopped working and the only thing she could do was stare. Alya was no better.  _WHAT A CUTIE,_ she thought, her fingers squeezing the edge of her dress.  _HE'S A ROMANTIC. SO SO CUTE!_

"Oh" was the only word Ladybug could say, and it was so low that it got lost under the music that was still playing in the party.

"Yeah..." Chat Noir said, rubbing nervously the back of his neck. "Well... When something like that happens to you, you can't trust yourself like you normally do. You're completely blind by that person, and you have to constantly remember that you can't do everything you want to do to them, because they might not want it. So..." he cleared his throat again, turning so his back was facing Ladybug, probably too embarrassed to stay in front of her. She was still frozen when he got to the closest flower arrangement and started playing with the roses. "So that's why I pushed you away earlier. You were too close and I didn't want to do something stupid, much less in front of all that people. It wasn't your fault, my lady, I'm sorry I made you think so".

Ladybug didn't say anything, she didn't move, she didn't even try to talk. The only hint that gave away that she was still alive was the way her eyes softened, her arms falling to each side of her body while a dreamy smile appeared on her lips. She knew that look, she had seen it a million times whenever Marinette looked at Adrien in the classroom, whenever he greeted her or complimented her designs. It was the look of a girl whose heart had completely melted, whose stomach was full of butterflies and whose eyes could only see the cause of her state.  _A girl in love_ , Alya thought, smiling so much that her cheeks were starting to hurt.

And then, Ladybug started to approach him, playing nervously with her fingers until she reached the pot he was looking at. Both of their backs were turned to Alya. It was the perfect chance to leave without them noticing. She made sure her belongings were in her purse and stood up, her eyes focused in the heroes just in case one of them decided to turn. Alya started walking quietly, but a pull on her dress prevented her from walking more than two meters. Frowning, she discovered that the dress got stuck on a branch, some thorns already piercing the fabric.  _No!_ , she thought, kneeling to try and get free.  _Mom is going to kill me if I ruin this dress!_

"You know what? I'm feeling... relaxed, just as you told me to feel" Alya heard Ladybug say, her voice soft and warm. "And... since this ball is in our honor and all of that..." from the corner of her eye, she saw that Ladybug was turning, her back against the pot while she held a pink rose between her fingers. "I wouldn't mind finishing the waltz we have pending, no matter what you just told me".

"Are you sure?" Chat Noir asked, looking at her with curiosity, as if expecting Ladybug to run away after his confession instead of staying with him.

"Very sure" she replied, smelling the rose and smiling. "Besides, I particularly like that song".

Alya's ears automatically focused on the music, and she gasped when she recognized the song. It was not the original one, this version was made to be a waltz, but she would recognize the melody anywhere. It was probably one of the most romantic songs she'd heard, the kind of song you'd dedicate to the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. This song had been played in ceremonies, weddings and galas over and over again and still conserved its essence.  _Come ooooon_ , she said to herself, her fingers desperately trying to free her dress in the darkness. She considered illuminating the ground with her phone, but that would be the most stupid way of giving her position away.

When she looked again, Ladybug was taking Chat Noir's hand in hers and dragging him towards the center of the square where the fountain was, which meant that Alya couldn't stand up because they'd definitely see her. With the rose still between her fingers, Ladybug put her hand on his shoulder while raising their joined ones in the space by their side, Chat Noir's free hand surrounding her waist shyly. "Don't think" Alya thought Ladybug said, showing him a calming smile. "I'll ask you to stop if you do something I don't like. Relax".

"Look who's talking" he replied, making her giggle.

And then, under the harmonic sound of the piano accompanied by a violin and a powerful, masculine voice, they started dancing once again, regaining the moment that previously someone had taken away from them. Their feet started their swinging, their outfits adorned by the tenuous light the little bulbs provided, the grass tickling the base of their shoes. They turned, the new silence of the couple allowing them to hear every beat of the music, their bodies synchronizing to it as if it was part of them. Alya's fingers worked unconsciously on her dress, her entire attention focused on the heroes' smiles as they danced, on their arms lacking any tension or nervousness. As much as they knew, they were alone. There wasn't anybody watching. There were no pics, there were no videos, there was not a spotlight over them, following every step, waiting for any mistake. They were alone, dancing for themselves, doing it because they wanted to and not because they had to. They turned again, Chat Noir extending and arm for Ladybug to twirl, smiling brightly at her when she came back to him, not worrying about hiding the love in his gaze. She took a step forwards and pushed him, encouraging him to take advantage of all the space they had. And so he did. They started to move along the square, surrounding the fountain happily, their eyes never leaving each other's. They turned, they twirled, the voice of the singer not loud enough to overshadow the frantic beating of Alya's heart.

 _"'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love,_  
_not knowing what it was._  
_I will not give you up this time."_

The sharp pain of a thorn burying in her finger distracted her, and only then she realized that, as expected, her hands were shaking. She licked her damaged finger, her eyes incapable of leaving the heroes, her body trembling yet swinging along the music at the same time. The bulbs seemed brighter, so did the moon. Chat Noir laughed when Ladybug accidentally tripped with the leg of a bench. She made a pout, but their dance didn't stop. Her smile quickly returned, then smirked, and soon the hand that once had been on his shoulder was now tickling his stomach. He laughed again, his body flexing to prevent the tickles, his laugh mixing with Ladybug's, warming up her eyes. And their dance didn't stop. They danced, danced and danced, trusting their bodies to the arms of their partner, not knowing who was guiding and who was following. Alya didn't even realize when her attempt of freeing her dress ceased, the only thing she could think about was the boy and the girl dancing in front of her. They were not heroes anymore. They weren't the guests of honor of the party, neither were the main attraction of the crowd. They were just a boy and a girl that emanated the purest happiness. A boy and a girl whose smiles screamed love, fun and ecstasy; who were having the moment of their lives in a world where only them existed. Alya felt her heart burning. They were laughing again, though she didn't know why. Ladybug made Chat Noir twirl, but since she was smaller than him she had to jump for him to walk under her arm. And when he took her again, she was closer, his arm surrounding her entire back. They smiled at the closeness and turned. One, two, three times until Chat Noir pushed her away, but never releasing her hands. This time, he made her twirl, his arm guiding her towards a bench. She climbed on the bench and walked along it, extending her free arm for balance.

 

 

At the end, he was waiting for her. She smirked and let herself fall over him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he delicately put her back on the ground. He repeated his previous action and pushed her away, only for his right arm to surround her middle and make her throw her torso and head back. He held her, his gaze shining with love as he admired her closed eyes and her smiling mouth, strands of hair hanging from her bun and over her face. He helped her up, his right hand traveling to her cheek to caress her lovingly, the song still sounding in the background.

 _"Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms._  
_Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song._  
_When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful..._  
_I don't deserve this. Darling, you look perfect tonight."_

"What a coincidence" he whispered. Giggling, Ladybug opened her eyes, her arms wrapping around his neck, her nose almost brushing his. With their chests pressed together, they couldn't get any closer. Ladybug sighed at the feeling of his thumb caressing her cheek, her bright blue eyes betraying her enjoyment, her own fingers playing with the tips of his blond hair, and Alya caught herself wondering if she realized that Chat Noir was looking at her as if she was his entire universe and more. "You know..." he said, using his fingers to put a strand of hair behind her ear. "You truly are beautiful". And Ladybug blessed him with the sweetest smile Alya had ever seen on her, closing her eyes without any intention to hide the blush that covered her cheeks, her face leaning to the hand that was caressing her, and to  _him_. Thankfully Chat Noir got the hint and understood the consent. Fearless, he leaned in and pressed his lips on the corner of her mouth, kissing her softly before pulling away.

 

 

Ladybug hugged him in response, her head resting against his chest, her arms around his shoulders while their bodies swung softly at the rhythm of the music. "My sweet, sweet kitty" she whispered, opening his jacket with a hand to place her pink rose on his inner pocket.

"What is that for?" Chat Noir asked, his own eyes closing when he rested his chin on her hair.

"A gift" she stated. "A reminder of the night you had Ladybug at your feet".

He smirked. "Do I have you at my feet, my lady?"

"Isn't it obvious already?" Ladybug replied, whispering something to his ear that Alya couldn't catch, but whatever it was, it made Chat Noir chuckle.

Their swinging continued until the song began to fade, a guitar replacing the violin, drums replacing the piano, the cheers of the crowd could be heard even over the new music. Ladybug and Chat Noir turned in the direction where the hall was, their eyes reflecting the colorful lights that now illuminated the party. "Jagged Stone's presentation has started" Ladybug said, checking her yo-yo to—Alya deduced—see the time. "We should go".

Chat Noir released her, his hands over her shoulders to look at her straight in the eyes. "Wait, before we go, I... Just... I meant it. What I said earlier. I don't want to ruin our friendship. You are my best friend and I want to protect what we have".

"I know that. You're my best friend too" she smiled, her arm around Chat Noir's waist as they started walking back to the entrance of the garden. "Come on, I told Elodie we would be on the first row. Jagged Stone is here for us, after all".

"Jagged Stone is here for us" Chat Noir whistled. "Who would have thought?"

"I know, right? I still have  _Mirockulous_  as ringtone on my phone".

"That song is my alarm!"

Their voices turned lower, so did their steps that disappeared little by little until Ladybug and Chat Noir finally left, leaving Alya knelt by the plants with her dress still stuck in a branch, not realizing that a couple of seconds ago she had stopped breathing and that she had to start doing it again if she wanted her body to work. Not realizing, either, that her nose, cheeks and even her lap were soaked in tears, that she couldn't see the leaves in front of her because her eyes were so glassy that she was blind. Alya didn't hear Jagged Stone's voice in the background, neither she felt an ant walking freely over the palm of her hand, neither processed the fact that minutes passed and she was still there, her brain as stuck as her dress.

How much time passed until Alya realized her phone was vibrating, no one knew. And how could she manage to open her purse and retrieve her phone to read a new message from Nino was still a mystery. For all that she knew, she did it without thinking, read without understanding and replied without writing.

 _"Hey babe remember to call when you want us to pick you up"_ , the message said.

"Now pls" Alya responded.

_"We'll be there in fifteen ;)"_

 

•••

 

No one would have expected that the ball in honor to Ladybug and Chat Noir would become a Jagged Stone concert, but that was exactly what had happened. Which was surprising considering the audience was composed by the most aristocratic and the least rocker people Paris had ever seen. The previous elegance and formality were forgotten, the crowd had gone crazy and Jagged Stone—who in that moment was playing the guitar with his teeth—was the new main attraction. Nino laughed when the live stream showed Bourgeois shaking his head at the rhythm of the music. He was awfully uncoordinated, but at least he was trying.

"Where did you find that link?" Mrs Césaire asked, looking at his phone over his shoulder. "On Twitter" he replied. "Not the best quality, though, it's blurred and it freezes every ten seconds. Alya's videos are better".

The sudden enthusiasm of the people gathered outside the City Hall called their attention. They both raised their heads to see the front doors opening, a single girl in a purple dress walking through it, her arms around herself. "It's her" Marlena said, the fans shutting disappointedly when they saw it wasn't who they were waiting for. Nino wondered why they were so sure that they'd get to see Ladybug and Chat Noir leaving the hall if they, you know, never used doors. "Go get her, I'll wait for you in the car".

Nodding, Nino crossed the street to meet his girlfriend, surrounding her shoulders with his arm to try to keep the fans and the cameras at bay. She was the owner of the Ladyblog, after all, the most trustworthy source of information related to the heroes. Everytime Ladybug and Chat Noir didn't answer a question, Alya became the next target.

Together they walked towards the car and quickly sat in the back seat. Marlena was fast to start driving, the police had only allowed them to park while they waited for Alya, and the same went to the dozens of cars—most of them much luxurious than the Césaire's—parked in the street. "Seat belts, please!" Marlena said, her voice loud to be heard over the GPS.

Nino frowned in confusion when Alya didn't move to fasten her seat belt. "Babe?" he said, fastening his own, for the first time noticing her state: Alya was frozen, her lips parted, her eyes wide and glassy and her knees dirty. Nino would have worried if he hadn't seen that stunned expression a thousand times before. He smiled. "So?" he said, looking at his girlfriend's shocked face with sympathy, removing a leaf stuck in her hair. "How was it?"

Alya's mouth moved like a fish out of water, her hands shaking so much that she could hardly hold her phone between her fingers, her entire body holding back an explosive energy that  _screamed LadyNoir_. "That..." she whispered, looking at him with her reddened eyes. "That was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen".

Nino's smile got wider. "Your seat belt, honey!" Marlena repeated, her gaze on the street before her, oblivious to her daughter's astonishment. "Oh, I can't wait to see the videos you recorded. You have to tell us everything!"

"Um... I think we should give her time to... recuperate, Mrs. Césaire" Nino replied, fastening Alya's seat belt, wondering if she felt him kissing her temple or if she was too shocked to realize. "Call me a paranoid but I've seen the symptoms. Something is telling me that the fangirl bomb is going to explode soon".

 

And Nino couldn't be more right.

**Author's Note:**

> After months of work I can't believe this proyect is finally out!! My partner and I worked sooo hard in this so we really hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did :') Also, can we talk about how talented Miss Shrimpy is???? You can find her art [here](https://www.instagram.com/miss_shrimpy/?hl=es-la). Go show her some love!!! <3
> 
> When it comes to me, you can follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/godblesssmg/?hl=es-la) if you're interested to know when I'm posting a new story. I'm on [Wattpad](https://www.wattpad.com/user/GodBlessSMG) too!
> 
> Again, it took us MONTHS to finish this but I think it was worth it. Thank you all for reading and thank you Miss Shrimpy for being such an amazing partner <3
> 
> P.S: Leave a comment if you want, I would love to know your opinions :)  
> P.S 2: I usually mention this at the beginning of my stories, but my first language is not english so I apologize if there's any mistake. I reread this a hundred times tho, but you never know lol


End file.
